Tag: indoor plants

History of Siberian Huskies

The history of Siberian Huskies starts in Siberia, Russia. The Chukchi people were isolated, so they needed to figure out a way to expand their hunting grounds. If they didn’t, then they would end up starving. This caused them to start breeding Siberian Huskies. The Huskies would pull sleds across large frozen wasteland. It wasn’t until the 1900s that Siberian Huskies became more known. The dogs would start winning sled races. But it wasn’t until the “serum run” when these dogs blew up.

In 1925, there was an illness break out in Nome, Alaska. There was medicine that could help with the outbreak, but there was only one way that the medicine could get to Nome. It was by using huskies to pull a sled to Nome. There was a few different sleds that were helping out with this journey. The dog sleds were spread throughout the trail. This was because the medicine was 658 miles away from Nome. There was no way that one sled could pull it all the way. This would be too tiring on the dogs. Another reason that it was so difficult was because of the weather. There were blizzards that were happening throughout the 5 and a half days. The person that was on the sled could not see, but the dogs were able to pull through.

 Huskies are able to deal with the harsh cold weather because of how they are built. Huskies have fur that is thicker than most dogs’ fur. Their fur is two layers. The bottom layer is a shorter and warmer layer. The top layer is longer and it is water-resistant. They are able to squint their eyes, so no snow gets into them. This helps the huskies when they are out in the snow pulling sleds. They have huge, fluffy tails that can protect them from the cold. They will wrap their tails around their face to keep them warm. The last thing that really helps them is that they can control their metabolism. This helps them when they go on long sled runs. It helps them not become fatigued. Also, Huskies can get hypopigmentation. This is when the dog’s nose starts to turn white. This a thing that naturally happens to their nose. When summer comes back around, their nose will lose the white pigmentation.

Siberian Huskies are amazing pets, but they also have some requirements. They need a lot of exercise. This because they were bred to run. Siberian Huskies can be very mischievous, so watch them carefully. Overall, these are amazing, gorgeous, and friendly dogs.

Resources:

https://foreverhusky.org/husky-101/about-the-breed.html

Siberian Husky

History of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a very popular commercialized holiday. It is celebrated in many different countries, like America, United Kingdom, Australia, and more. There are many theories on how Valentine’s Day came to be.

The first one is that it came from martyrs of the Catholic faith. It is hard to tell from which martyr it came from because there were a few. The first well known Valentine’s was a priest that married people behind the emperor’s (Claudia II) back. The emperor thought men that were married and had a family weren’t good soldiers. This made the emperor outlaw marriages. But Valentines still decided to marry people, in secret. When the emperor found out, he executed Valentines. The second Valentines was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop. Claudia II also killed him, but it is believed to be for different reasons. It was believed that Saint Valentine of Terni was helping Christians escape the persecutions that was happening in the Roman prisons. Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine of Terni. The last theory is believed to be a priest that was in jail, who sent a letter to jailor’s daughter. This priest signed the letter “From your Valentine”. It is unknown where Valentine’s Day originated from. These theories come from a Christian perspective and beliefs, but the Pagans have a different beliefs.

The Pagans believed that the Christians were trying take over Lupercalia, a Pagan holiday. Lupercalia was a fertility festival that was dedicated to Faunus, Romulus, and Remus. Faunus is the Roman god of agriculture. Romulus and Remus were both the founders of Rome. This festival would start on February 15th. An order of Roman priests would gather in a sacred cave. It is believed that infant Romulus and Remus grew up in this cave. The priests would then sacrifice a goat and a dog. The goat represented fertility and the dog represented purification. The Roman priests would cut the goat’s hide into strips and dip is in the sacrificial blood. Then they would go out and gently slap the women and crop fields with the strips of bloody goat. The women didn’t mind being gently slapped by the bloody goat strips. They thought that it would make them more fertile. Later on, the women would place their names in an urn. The city bachelors would then would come and pick a name. This meant that the women and men would be paired for a year. In the 5th century, Lupercalia was outlawed.

Pope Gelasius declared that Valentine’s Day would be on February 14th. At this time, the holiday wasn’t associated with love. Around 1400s-1500s, valentine messages started appearing. In the 1800s, printed Valentine’s Day cards were being printed. This would happen later on. In present time, Valentine’s Day is a huge commercialized holiday. But this year’s Valentine’s Day, will be interesting, due to Covid.  

Resources:

https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valentines-Day

Guard Dogs VS. Protection Dogs

Did you know that there is a difference between guard dogs and protection dogs? It is very easy to think that they have a similar meanings, but they are two different type of dogs.

Guard dogs are trained to be working dogs, alerting their owners if there is intruders. It is hard for these dogs to stop training mode. There are 3 different types of guard dogs. The first one is an alarm dog. This type of guard dog is not physical. They have a low, threatening bark. Alarm dogs will usually use this type of bark to inform the owner of an intruder. The intruders usually get scared when the dog barks and will leave.  The second type of guard dog is a sentry dog. These dogs are trained to be on big properties. The owners will let the dogs roam around the properties by themselves because they are trained to attack intruders. The third type of guard dog is attack dogs. These dogs are trained to attack, and if needed, kill. They will only listen to their handlers. Attack dogs are not meant to be pets. They are not sociable dogs. The police and military are the only ones who should have these dogs. Guard dogs are not meant to be pets. They are meant to protect and work. Protection dogs can be pets.

Protection dogs create a connection with the family and can be considered a family member. These dogs don’t need to be trained on what they are naturally made to do. But they do need obedience training. It is important to get obedience training because they can start becoming dominant. Having a dominant dog in the family can be dangerous because they can get their roles confused. Reminding the dog that you are the alpha in the family will remind them of their role. Also, it is important to exercise the dog. This is important because the exercise helps them behave.

Guard dogs and protection dogs both require training, but they trained in different ways. It is important to think about how you want your dog to be trained and what kind of work you want them to do.

Resources:

https://www.mypspa.org/article/more/guard-dog-vs-protection-dog

The Difference Between Protection Dogs and Guard Dogs

Snow Days For Dogs

Snow peaks a dog’s interest. This is because it’s something knew to them. There are new smells and new adventures to go on. But there are precautions to take when taking your dog outside. 

First, you have to be careful of their paws. When touching snow or ice, their feet could freeze and be in pain. If their paws get too cold, they could start bleeding and cracking. There are ways to stop this from happening, like little doggy boots. This will protect their paws from getting hurt. At first, they will have a hard time walking with the shoes but overtime they will get better at it. 

Second, dogs can only stay out for a certain amount of time. If it is their first time in the snow, be extra careful. This is because the dog’s body is not used to being around snow. This might cause the dog’s body to start trembling and moving slower. If this happens, it is time to bring the dog inside! 

Third, the size and hair length of the dog matters. If they are a smaller or shorter haired dog, there needs to be protection for them. There are clothes that are made for dogs. This can help keep them warm. Along with this, if the dog is not able to walk in the snow, shovel a path for them. This is because they will have a path to follow. If the snow reaches their neck or goes above, do not let your dog go into it. They could get lost because they are unable to find their way back. 

                                 Let your dogs have fun but be safe about it! 

Conditioning A Dog

Conditioning is a simple form of learning involving the formation, strengthening, or weakening of an association between a stimulus and a response. Petrovich Pavlov was the first man to come up with the idea of conditioning. Pavlov was originally testing the secretion activity of dog’s digestion. Pavlov needed to test the salivary ducts of the dogs. He did this by conditioning. He started this experiment by ringing a bell and giving the dog food. Every time the dog heard the bell, the dog would start salivating. This is because the dog connects the bell to getting food.

There are a couple ways of conditioning a dog. The first one is to award the dog every time it does what it’s supposed to do. This might not be affective because the dog will start doing the act just to get a treat. The second way is to award the dog every time, within a time span. For example, every time the dog rings the bell 5 times then it gets a treat. The third way is to give the dog a treat whenever you feel like it. This is the best way to train a dog because they will be on their best behavior because there is a chance that they could get a treat.

Within conditioning, there is positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. Positive reinforcement is getting something because of good behavior. This is when the dog does something the owner wants them to do, like sit when told to. Negative reinforcement is the taking away of something bad to get a positive response, like a dog on a leash. Most dogs don’t enjoy being on leashes. Taking them to a dog park and having them sit before taking off the leashes might help. This could help because every time they go to the dog park and have to sit, then they know that the leash comes off. Positive punishment is the adding of something unwanted because of wrong behavior. Every time the dog barks, the owner will shock the dog (not enough hurt the dog). The punishment would be getting shocked because they are barking. Negative punishment is the taking away something because of bad behavior. If the dog has a problem jumping on people, then take away something they enjoy. It could be a treat, a bed, or a toy. The dog will learn that when they jump, something they like will get taken away. They will stop jumping on people once they learn the conditioning.

While you are training, conditioning can be put in great use. For example, training a dog to go the bathroom outside. One could hang bells on the door knob, for the dog to ring. This will show the dog that every time they ring the bell, they go outside. You would still have to give the dog a treat when they ring the bell. This will help train the dog. Training the dog to ask, to go outside is one way conditioning can be used. There are many other ways conditioning can be used to help train dogs.

Resources:

Learning theory basics, part 1- Classical conditioning in dogs: beyond the training session

https://www.biography.com/scientist/ivan-petrovich-pavlov

The History And Evolution Of Dog Training

The First Dog And The Most Recent Dog, In The White House

George Washington

George Washington was a first for a couple of things. He was the first president. He was the first president to have a dog. It is said that Washington’s love of dogs came from fox hunting. This caused him to start breeding his own dog. He wanted a faster dog. One of his friends heard about how Washington wanted to breed his hounds with something faster. So, Washington’s friend sent him some French hounds. Washington started to breed his own dogs with the French hounds. George Washington didn’t mean to leave a legacy with the new breed. He wanted to improve his collection of hunting dogs. He had several different breeds. He had Dalmatians, Italian Greyhounds, mastiffs, and many more. These dogs would have different tasks to do, like herding, working, and toy dogs. George Washington put his dogs to work, but this doesn’t mean that he didn’t love them any less. He names all his dogs, like Sweet Lips, Tipsy, and Tipler. He would go visit his dogs in the kennels every day. Georges Washington made sure that his dogs got the love and attention that they needed.

Resources:

https://www.history.com/news/george-washington-dogs

Joe Biden

Our recent elected president has brought back the tradition of having dogs in the white house. President Biden brought in two dogs. They are both German shepherds, named Major and Champ. Champ is a 12-year-old dog that has been in the white house before. This happened when Biden was the Vice President of the United States. But Major (2 years old) has never been in the White House before. His story is a little special. Major is the first rescue dog to live in the White House. This news blew up. Delaware Humane Association (the place that Major came from) held a virtual event for Major. Americans are excited to see Champ and Major live in the White House. They are the first dogs that have been in the White House, since Obama’s presidency.

Resources:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-bidens-dogs-shepherd-in-new-era-of-presidential-pets-at-the-white-house-11611160275

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a34680434/joe-biden-dogs/

Greyhounds Have Universal Blood

When it comes to blood transfusions, it’s more complicated than it seems. First, they have to find someone with the same blood type. The blood types are A, B, AB, and O. Second, we have to look at if it’s positive or negative. This is very important because if they transfuse the wrong blood type then the patient can get sick. But there is a blood type that is universal, O positive. This means that anyone can receive this blood. Humans are not the only “species” that need blood transfusions. Domestic dogs are another species that need blood transfusions.

Domestic dogs needs blood transfusions for the same reason. They could need it because blood lost, illnesses, and other emergency situations. But dog blood is different from human blood. It is more complicated. First, there are 12 different blood types that a dog could have. Secondly, their blood type is considered universal only if they have a negative blood type. This is for certain blood antigens. Testing dog blood takes longer, so it is easier for dogs to only receive ‘negative’ blood. There are not a lot of breeds that have universal blood, but greyhounds are one.

85% of greyhounds have universal blood. Their blood is rich in red blood cells, lower than average white blood cells, and platelets. When it comes to the procedure, the dogs are not sedated. They don’t need to be sedated because of the dogs’ big veins and calm demeanor. The large veins make it easy to draw the blood. Calm demeanor means that they are relaxed when the blood is being drawn. Some greyhounds even fall asleep during the drawing of blood. For a dog to be able to donate blood, they need to be between 1-7 years old and weigh over 50 pounds.

It is important to check the blood type between the same animals. This is because within that there are different blood types. It is also important to not mix blood between species. This could cause the animal to die. For example, if a cat receives dog blood then this wouldn’t be helpful. This is because dogs and cats don’t have the same blood.

Resources:

https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet_column/blood-transfusions/#:~:text=Blood%20Typing%20in%20Pets,blood%20cannot%20be%20used%20interchangeably.
https://www.greyhoundhealthinitiative.org/blood-bank/

5 Family Dogs

When it comes to a family dog, there are many important things to look at. Some examples are dog size, training, and personality. Personality is the biggest one. Within a family, no one wants an aggressive dog that could cause harm to themselves or their kids. This is a list of 5 family dogs. There is no order in this list.

  1. Retrievers      

When it comes to Retrievers, all the different breeds are known to be gentle. The American Kennel Club says Golden Retrievers are friendly and devoted. The U.S. Service Animals say that Gold Retrievers are great leaders. An example of how these dogs are gentle, is by how they grab things. It doesn’t matter if they are working or around children, these dogs do not bite. They will pick up the items with their teeth, gently. Labrador Retrievers are another popular dog. The American Kennel Clubs says that Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular breeds, in America. These dogs are patient and easygoing, but athletic. These dogs are good for energetic people. This is because Labrador retrievers can stay busy for hours, without getting tired.

  • Beagles

If you want a dog for protection, beagles are not the way to go. They are known to be extremely friendly. Instead of protecting, they would try to make a new friend. Beagles were bred to hunt in packs. This causes them to enjoy being around other dogs. But Beagles are not low maintenance. They are in constant curiosity, this causes them to get into trouble. It is said that their antics are more entertaining and enjoyable than bothering some.

  • Collie

Collies’ personalities are sweet and gentle. They have a great personality, but doesn’t mean these dogs don’t have some flaws. One of the biggest one is that they are stubborn. So training is important. This isn’t a problem because Collies are known to be easy to train. Since these dogs are bred to herd, they are likely to try and herd your kids. This could be because they created a connection with the children, wanting to protect them. There are a few varieties of collies that one could get.

  •  Newfoundland

These dogs might be giant, but are very gentle. They are loyal dogs that will protect their loved ones. These would be great dogs to have around your children. This is because they will protect your children and not cause harm to them. You can’t go wrong with this breed. Newfoundland’s can be found inside, cuddling. But these dogs do contain different amount of energies, requiring different amounts of exercise.

  • Bulldog  

Look wise these dogs are muscular and big. But their hearts are even bigger. They are known to be mellow and friendly. When it comes to protecting, they are very protective of the family. These dogs are loyal and good-natured, but they can have a stubborn streak.

Resources:

https://www.treehugger.com/worlds-most-gentle-dog-breeds-4869367

Dogs in the Guinness World Records Book

Tallest Dog In The World 

            Zeus holds the record for being the tallest dog in the world. He is a Great Dane that stands at 44 inches. When he stands on his back legs, he stands around 7 foot tall. His height gave him some advantages. An example of this is when Zeus would be thirsty, he would be able to drink straight from the tap. In 2012, Zeus passed away, at 5 years old. 

Resource:

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tallest-dog-ever

Shortest Dog Alive 

            Milly, a Chihuahua, holds this record. In 2013, she was around 3.8 in tall. When she was first born, in 2011, Milly weighed less than an ounce. They had to feed her with an eyedropper. 

Resource:

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/smallest-dog-living-(height)

Longest Tail 

            In August, Keon’s tail was measured to be around 30.2 in. He is an Irish Wolfhound. For comparison, his tail is longer than a baby from one head to toe. His tail is so long and strong that if he is wagging his tail, by a car, then his tail could leave dents. 

Resource:

https://www.grunge.com/196644/the-dog-breed-with-the-longest-tail/

Smallest Service Dog 

            Cupcake is the service dog that holds this record. She is measured to be around d 6.25 in tall. From the tip of her nose to the tip of the tail, she is around 14.25 inch. If we aren’t counting the tail, then she is 10.5 in. Her tail gives her around 3.75 in, in length. 

Resource:

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/210925-smallest-service-dog

3 Interesting, Rare Dog Breeds

Thai Ridgeback

            Thai Ridgebacks are unique because of their fur. Usually, a dog’s fur goes in one direction, but the Thai Ridgeback dogs have a line of fur that goes the opposite direction. There are 8 different patterns that a Thai Ridgeback could get. They are not always born with these designs; it would later develop. There is no reason or special use for why these dogs have this line of hair. It could be simply for looks. Thai Ridgeback are a rare breed that are from Thailand. It is believed that these dogs might be the first true purebred dog breeds. Originally, these dogs were bred to hunt and protect. This could affect their personality because they were raised to be independent dogs. If they are not trained well, then they could become aggressive. It is suggested that beginners don’t go with Thai Ridgebacks because of their personality.

Resources:

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/who-ridge-rhodesian-ridgeback/

https://www.pawculture.com/breed-basics/dog-breeds/thai-ridgeback-dog-breed/

Thai Ridgeback

Peruvian Inca Orchid

            The Peruvian Inca Orchids are said to be one of the first breeds. They are mostly hairless dogs, from Peru. They only have hair on their feet, tail, and head. There is not a whole lot of information on where these dogs came from. The information we do have comes from the paintings on pottery. The Incas, Chancy, and Chimu, all based in Peru, were known to portray these dogs, on the pottery. The people treated these dogs like royalty. This is because it was believed that these dogs had special, mystical powers. The dogs would be drawn with jewelry and buried with their owners. They would treat the dogs like how the Egyptians treated cats. At one point, Peruvian Inca Orchids almost went extinct. When the Spanish took over Peru, they started to breed the Peruvian Inca Orchids with their own dogs. The breeding almost wiped out the original Peruvian Inca Orchids. One of the effects of this breeding, is that the dogs became different sizes. In present times, the government made the Peruvian Inca Orchids a National Patrimony. This protected the dogs from harm. Since this was put into place, Peruvian Inca Orchids are seen all over Peru.

Resources:

https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/peru/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-peruvian-inca-orchid/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/peruvian-inca-orchid-dog-breed-profile-4783328

Tibetan Mastiff

            There is no exact time on where this dog came from. But it is believed that the dog has been around since 1100 BC, in China. It is said that the ancestors of the Mastiff breeds traveled with different armies of Assyrians, Persians, Greeks and Romans. While the different Mastiff breeds where traveling, the Tibetan Mastiff stayed in the Himalayas Mountains. The Tibetan Mastiffs would travel with the Tibetan sheepherders and traders. The dogs would protect their master’s tents from wolves or snow leopards. The masters would also chain them to gates and rooftops. This was so the dog could protect their home. Before the 1800’s, few people were allowed to travel to Tibet. But the few travelers that were able to travel into Tibet never talked about the dogs. In 1800, Captain Samuel Turner talked about big dogs in his writings. But he never described the dogs. 1847 was when Lord Hardinge sent the first Tibetan Masttiff to Queen Victoria. Later on, a few more Tibetan Mastiff was brought to England. But in the 1950’s, the first Tibetan Mastiff was brought to the U.S., for the president. In present time, it is hard to find a pure Tibetan Mastiff in Tibet, Nepal, and other Himalayan regions. For a long time, Tibetan Mastiffs have had a close relationship with man. This made the Tibetan Mastiff strong, fearless, loyal, patient, and gentle. 

Resources: https://www.tibetanmastiff.org/brief-history.html